It’s been a good couple of days for Tool updates, and now Maynard swoops in and gives us another:

I’ve been making regular trips to LA to check on the writing progress of my Tool brethren. Things a progressing nicely. Slowly, but definitely progressing. Nothing is recorded yet, but the guys are confident that the pieces are coming together swimmingly and will be ready for me to begin writing melodies and content ‘soon’. I’m as anxious to get this album completed as everyone else. But as history will show, you can’t rush these gents. Patience is Gold in this Sound Mine. In the meantime, as always, other things are simultaneously occurring. Life is too short not to create something with every breath we draw.

Much better than a #gullible! With the accompanying photo (possibly taken by Aaron Harris):

Blair has posted the February 2015 Tool Newsletter, and it’s a pretty straight forward one, giving us some solid updates on where Tool are at, as well as some further clarification in the recent Motörhead issue:

With regards to the chance meeting between members of Tool and their friends in Motorhead in the same recording facility – this had absolutely nothing to do with the preparation, recording, mixing or mastering! of a new Tool album. Instead, it concerned another Tool project that has been in the works for a while. In fact, when I first heard about this project (way back when), I mentioned it in a news post as being a “curve ball” – meaning that it would be something unexpected by most Tool fans (as it was to me). Since then, some fans have guessed what this is, while others remain clueless, with many others believing that there really never was any such idiom to begin with.

And most excitingly in regards to the new album:

Now that these other things have (hopefully) been put to rest, let’s see about any current news. The first item would be that the members of the band will be taking a break from their writing/arranging sessions next week WHILE Aaron Harris (“ISIS”, PALMS”) sets up an area in the Loft for Maynard to be able to work on vocal melodies as the others play (loudly) their completed tunes. In that there is a lot of equipment to be moved and reorganized, it will take at least a few days to set up Maynard’s ‘station’ in the adjoining room. Admittedly, this is exciting news, but let’s not jump to any hasty conclusions…

Liquidmuse sent me an email this evening with a link to a new video posted by Stuart Copeland, which features a jam called A Little More Noise. Playing with Copeland (who is on guitar) is Danny and Neil Peart of Rush. A bunch of other guys join the track as well.

Blair took some time out from thanking Obama today to give us some insight into the recent Tool/Motörheadscandal, and advises us that it’s likely to be one of the following scenarios:

A) The members of Tool that the guys in Motorhead saw and interacted with in the studio were actually the DECOY members of the band , who have started tracking tunes for the new DECOY Tool album.

B) Rather than tracking tunes for the next Tool record, the (real) members of the band have begun tracking (real) tunes for the Tool album that is to be released AFTER the next Tool album is released.

C) Rather than tracking anything, the members of the band were in the studio mixing music that was recorded sometime ago, which might not have anything to do with the next Tool album (which is still in the writing/arranging process), but might be used for another Tool project that has been in the works for a while, of which I am currently not at liberty to add any further details.

D) All of the above.

Seeing as I expect the first two are unlikely, I imagine C is the most likely option. Maybe one day we’ll even get some details on what this actually is!

Maynard thinks that The PRP are gullible for posting about Tool being in the studio. Are they? Are we? Is believing a video posted by Adam suggesting that they’re in the studio enough to make us gullible? Or is Maynard taking the piss?

Posted not long ago on the internet is a Facebook video from Adam’s page featuring Phil and Mikkey from Motörhead, and Adam from Tool in a Los Angeles recording studio. Motörhead are in one studio, and Tool are in the other one “working on some tunes, having fun”. Take a look for yourself:

Looks like there may be a new side project in the works for Danny, with details emerging of a collaboration between him and Brent Hinds from Mastodon. It may also feature Dimitri Coats from punk band OFF!

There isn’t much more detail, but there is an interesting website which contains a couple of tracks you can download. A photo of Danny appears on the site, but there’s also a bunch of live shots, none of which I think have Danny in it (the drum kit layout doesn’t look right) so I’m not sure if this is an ongoing thing for Danny, or just a guest spot.

There’s also a photo of Danny and Brent from the Loft, which is a good one for you whiteboard enthusiasts:

Tool’s Newsletter for January 2015 has been released, and you can find it on the bands website. It contains a few hints that another song is complete on the new album, and also that there may be more news to come soon (though to be fair lots of newsletters suggest this). It also contains a Q & A section, which doesn’t really answer anything too compelling, but I found to be quite funny. Here’s a excerpt:

Q: “If I pay extra…. like $40… can I get the shirt with out the stupid poem?”

A: Nobody likes a Wisenheimer, but sure you can pay $40.00 for the shirt without the esoteric verses (which aren’t being offered now anyway). And I will be checking with Merch to see if you really buy one NOW that you’ve had your moment of glory…

COMMENT: “ I placed an order [for the Crowley tee-shirt] on the 17th [of January] with the confirmation #666. Made my day.”

REPLY: All confirmations are 666. Just kidding. How fortuitous! I hope that the Wisenheimer sees what he missed by not ordering one with the stupid poem…